Recorder and pen assembly therefor

ABSTRACT

A recorder includes a pen-support portion and a pen-support arrangement which includes an arm removably securable to the pensupport portion, the arm including spring means adapted to removably carry a throw-away type ink pen.

United States Patent I i Bruzzano i [s41 RECORDERANDPEN ASSEMBLY THEREFOR 72 Inventor: Gennuro J. Bruzzano, 1225 Douglas Ave., North Brunswick, NJ. 08902 22 Filed: Oct.27, 1970 21' App1.No.: 84,333

52 u.s."c|. ..346/140. 51 Int.Cl. ..G0ld 15/16 58 FieldofSearch ..346/l40,ll2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,473 8/1904 .Manning, "346/140 841,222 1/1907 Bowman ..'....346/l40 1,347,787 7/1920 Mapelsden ..346/140 [151 3,686,680 [4s] Aug. 22, 1972 2,330,082 9/1943 Side et a1. ..346/l40 X 3,199,112 8/1965 Brunson et a1 ..346/140 X OTHER PUBLICATIONS Fitzpatrick, W. 1.; Pen for Chart Recorder; IBM

Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 11, No. 3, Aug. 1968 v Primary Examiner-Joseph W. Hartary Attorney-Robert A. Green [s71 I ABSTRACT A recorder includes a pen-support portion and a pensupport arrangement .which includesan arm removably securable to the pen-support portion, the including spring means. adapted to removably carry a throwaway .type ink pen.

' 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patent ed Aug. 22, 1972 3,686,680

INVENTOR. Gennoro J. Bruzzclno /\T TOR N F. Y

RECORDER AND PEN ASSEMBLY THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At the present time, recording machines which record in ink on paper generally utilize a type of ink pen assembly which has many drawbacks. For example, the assembly uses a type of pen which is refillable, and, of course, the filling operation can be messy. In addition, if the pen is struck during operation, its ink supply may spill. Also, the pen must be primed now and then to make it run, and after a time, the ink may clog the pen, and a major cleaning operation is required. Another problem is that the pen may stop writing if it breaks contact with the paper. Also, the type of writing point used can tear the paper at its perforations, and this may cause the paperto jam.

Thus, a new arrangement, which is operable with known recorders but uses an improved pen, is needed.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, a recorder embodying the invention includes a pen assembly which is removably secured to the main body of the recorder and includes means for removably carrying a disposable ink writing pen.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. lis a schematic representation of recording apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 with the ink dispenser removed; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention relates to apparatus including a recording machine of the type including well known means for receiving information in some form and converting it to control signals which move a mechanical arm and an associated ink pen, with the movement being recorded on a moving sheet of paper on which the pen rests. In FIG. 1, the recording instrumentation is represented schematically at 20, and it includes arms 30 and 40 which carry the pen assembly. The recorder and arms 30 and 40 may be of any well-known construction. The paper supply is represented by numeral 50.

'In the prior art, the ink-writing pen is coupled directly to the arms 30 and 40; however, according to the invention, the writing mechanism includes a bracket 60 which is removably and pivotally secured to the arms 30 and 40. The bracket 60, in one construction, comprises a generally T-shaped plate of plastic, metal, or any other suitable material, including a first arm 70 and a cross-arm 80. The bracket or plate 60 may be relatively thin, and the first arm 70 carries, at its ends, pins 90 which are adapted to be seated in receiving depressions or apertures 100 in the facing surfaces of arms 30 and 40. Of course, the arms 30 and 40 are designed so that they can be spread apart to permit plate 60 to be inserted and removed from between them. The plate 60 is thus pivotally and removably coupled to the arms 30 and 40.

The plate 60 includes a surface, its lower surface, which faces the paper 50 on which the visible recording is made, and this surface, associated with the cross-arm 80, carries a pen-support means 120. In one arrangement, this means includes a generally L- shaped clamping bracket having a first vertical wall which extends across and is about as wide as the cross arm 80 and is suitably secured thereto, for example by welding. The first wall 140 extends generally perpendicularly downwardly from the lower surface of the cross-arm a suitable distance, and a second horizontal wall of about the same width as wall 140 extends from the free lower end thereof parallel to the cross-arm 80 toward the free leading end of the cross-arm 80. Thus, walls 140 and 150 and arm 80 define a chamber into which an ink pen can be inserted. The bracket 130 is made of a resilient, springlike material so that the pen 170 can be readily inserted into said chamber and can be securely held thereby.

If desired, auxiliary side retaining walls and can be secured to the opposite edges of the lower surface of the cross-arm between the L-shaped bracket and the front end of the cross-arm and extending downwardly from the cross-arm. The side walls 180 and 190 and the L-shaped bracket 130 combine to form a container open on one side, the front side, for receiving and holding the ink pen 170.

In a modification of the invention, shown in FIG. 5, the pen 170 is carried at a location more remote from cross-arm 70 and arm 80 than in the embodiment described above. This is achieved by shortening arm 80 (if necessary or desired) and providing, at its leading end, a generally L-shaped bracket including a vertical wall 230 and a horizontal wall 240. Pen-clamping apparatus 120 is secured to the lower surface of the arm, and the pen 170 is held by the clamping assembly I20. The pen is now spaced from arms 70 and 80 by the length of wall 230.

The present invention permits the use of a throw away type of pen having a pre-filled reservoir 200 and a fabric writing tip 210, the pen being easily and quickly inserted and removed and replaced. This type of pen almost never fails in operation, and, for the most part, it needs to be replaced only when the ink supply is used up. Pens of this type are known and available.

In operation of the apparatus of the invention, the T- shaped arm is easily set in place between recorder arms 30 and 40, and the ink pen 170 can also be easily and quickly inserted into the clamping bracket means 120. The apparatus is thus easily and quickly prepared for use. If, for some reason, the pen 170 becomes inoperative during a recording operation, a new pen can be substituted in seconds. Since this type of pen is practically foolproof, it need not be monitored, and the only concern for the user is whether the ink supply has been used up. Since experience teaches what the average life of a pen is, it is easy to determine when a new pen should be provided, and this can be done before a recording operation is begun.

The advantages of the invention are many and include the advantage that the pen can be quickly and easily removed and replaced, even during a recording operation. In addition, either only the pen can be replaced or even the pen and T-shaped bracket can be quickly replaced, if desired. The invention also permits the use of a pen which has a fabric tip, which is almost fool proof in its operation, the ink cannot spill, and the ink is not supplied by the user so that the pen does not need filling or refilling by the user.

What is claimed is:

1. In a recording instrument of the type which includes signal-receiving instrumentation, pen-carrying arms, and paper supply means for using the signals to cause corresponding movement of the pen-carrying arms and thereby to cause the pen to record the move ment on the paper, the improvement comprising a pen-carrying bracket including a plate carrying a pair of pins at opposite edges thereof for quick insertion into and removal from said pen-carrying arms, a C-shaped member comprising a portion of said bracket and forming a chamber for receiving an ink reservoir,

said C-shaped member including first and second side walls and a connecting wall, the free ends of said side walls defining the chamber formed by said C-shaped member,

said first and second walls being oriented parallel to said paper supply means on which markings are to be made in ink and having the open portion between said arms facing away from said instrumentation whereby access may be readily had thereto,

an ink reservoir having a shape similar to the shape of the chamber formed by said C-shaped member and including an upper wall and a lower wall, and

' plate consisting of a main body portion and a cross arm,

an ink writing point secured in said lower wall of said ink reservoir near an edge thereof,

said ink reservoir being removably and slidably inserted substantially completely within said C- shaped member, with which it forms a tight fit, with its writing point disposed closely adjacent to the free ends of said first and second side walls and in contact with said paper supply means for recording information thereon, said ink reservoir thus being protected from the environment and at the same time readily removable from C-shaped member for replacement purposes.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pen-carrying bracket is a generally T-shaped plate including a main body portion and a cross arm, said pins being carried at the opposite ends of said cross arm and said C-shaped bracket being formed by the free end of said main body portion and an L-shaped bracket secured to the lower surface thereof.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including a pair of auxiliary side walls disposed, spaced apart, between said first and second side walls of said C- shaped bracket to close up all of the chamber formed by said bracket except the open portion formed by the free ends of said first and second walls.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pen-carrying bracket comprises a generally T-shaped said main body portion having an L-shaped step formed therein, said L-shaped step having an L-shaped plate secured to the lower surface thereof to form said C- shaped bracket for receiving said ink reservoir. 

1. In a recording instrument of the type which includes signalreceiving instrumentation, pen-carrying arms, and a paper supply means for using the signals to cause corresponding movement of the pen-carrying arms and thereby to cause the pen to record the movement on the paper, the improvement comprising a pen-carrying bracket including a plate carrying a pair of pins at opposite edges thereof for quick insertion into and removal from said pen-carrying arms, a C-shaped member comprisIng a portion of said bracket and forming a chamber for receiving an ink reservoir, said C-shaped member including first and second side walls and a connecting wall, the free ends of said side walls defining the chamber formed by said C-shaped member, said first and second walls being oriented parallel to said paper supply means on which markings are to be made in ink and having the open portion between said arms facing away from said instrumentation whereby access may be readily had thereto, an ink reservoir having a shape similar to the shape of the chamber formed by said C-shaped member and including an upper wall and a lower wall, and an ink writing point secured in said lower wall of said ink reservoir near an edge thereof, said ink reservoir being removably and slidably inserted substantially completely within said C-shaped member, with which it forms a tight fit, with its writing point disposed closely adjacent to the free ends of said first and second side walls and in contact with said paper supply means for recording information thereon, said ink reservoir thus being protected from the environment and at the same time readily removable from C-shaped member for replacement purposes.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pen-carrying bracket is a generally T-shaped plate including a main body portion and a cross arm, said pins being carried at the opposite ends of said cross arm and said C-shaped bracket being formed by the free end of said main body portion and an L-shaped bracket secured to the lower surface thereof.
 3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 and including a pair of auxiliary side walls disposed, spaced apart, between said first and second side walls of said C-shaped bracket to close up all of the chamber formed by said bracket except the open portion formed by the free ends of said first and second walls.
 4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said pen-carrying bracket comprises a generally T-shaped plate consisting of a main body portion and a cross arm, said main body portion having an L-shaped step formed therein, said L-shaped step having an L-shaped plate secured to the lower surface thereof to form said C-shaped bracket for receiving said ink reservoir. 